


don't wish, don't start

by meronicavars



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/F, Work Wives, a questionable euphemism, and one-sided Barry/Iris, and past coldwave, vague mention of barry allen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-22
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-10-09 04:35:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10404066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meronicavars/pseuds/meronicavars
Summary: "What, are you two, like, married now?""Yeah, she's my work wife."





	

**Author's Note:**

> i'm just rlly gay and in love with iris and linda so... y'know. also linda canonically stress baking ??? adorable. i love her so much.
> 
> also idk when this is supposed to be based like... idk some magical alternate time where barry wasn't a dumbass and did the flashpoint and also my gay dad leonard snart didn't die. cool.
> 
> i will preface this by saying that i'm way more of a script-writer than prose, so this is like bad description with snappy dialogue lmao...

She hadn't thought about it.

Well, that isn't completely true. Iris knew she was attracted to Linda in that if Linda kissed her she wouldn't hate it kind of way, but she hadn't really thought about the possibility of anything ever happening with her. But, of course, Cisco went and opened his big mouth and now it was _all_ Iris could think about.

She'd been staying at Linda's apartment the past week, because they’re working on a joint article together. After spending quite a few nights up late researching, it just made sense that Iris stay over. Plus, Linda lived closer to work than Iris did, so it was just... easy. They were friends, they enjoyed each other's company, and that made working together comfortable and natural.

They're walking into Jitters after a long and grueling night of work, practically falling over each other with exhaustion, both ready to drown themselves in coffee, when Cisco catches Iris's eye and raises an eyebrow at her.

He's at a table with his boyfriend, looking way too perky for 8 AM on a Monday morning.

"Good morning," Cisco says, in a way that says he knows something Iris doesn't.

She narrows his eyes at him. Iris had no idea anyone could say "good morning" like that, but she looks over to Cisco's present company and is reminded just who he's been spending so much of his time with. It was only a matter of time before Leonard Snart began to rub off on him.

"It's not a good morning," Iris says.

"We've been up all night," Linda adds.

"Have you," Snart drawls.

Iris frowns at him.

"Iris," he says.

"Leonard," Iris replies, calculatingly.

"Len," he says, smirking.

"Sure," says Iris.

Snart laughs and Iris knows if she were in a better mood, she could find it in herself to like him right now, but that truly isn't the case.

"I can grab your coffee," Linda says, gently squeezing Iris's arm.

"Great, I want a--"

"Flash," Linda interrupts, smiling. "I know."

"Thanks--"

"What, are you two, like, married now?" Cisco asks, and Iris gawks at him.

"Yeah, she's my work wife," Linda says non-chalantly before striding over to the counter.

"Cisco!"

"What?" he says, raising his hands in mock defense. "You two've been pretty close lately. It doesn't mean anything."

"You have thought about it though," Snart says, matter-of-factly, as if he _knows_.

"No," Iris says. "No, no, I haven't! That's..."

"You should," Snart says.

"She's cute," Cisco says. "You get along. I mean, you like her, right?"

"She's my co-worker, Cisco!" Iris says in a harsh whisper. "I can't date a co-worker. That's completely unethical."

"Mick and I were together for years," Snart says.

"Um, sweetie," Cisco says, patting Snart's hand, "you and Mick were criminals. Linda is Iris's actual forreals co-worker."

"Semantics," Snart says, with a flourish of his hand.

"Really," Iris deadpans.

"Hey, you know what?" Cisco says. "Boo's not a bad guy anymore. It's totally safe to take his advice."

"Did you just call him 'boo'?"

"Mhm, yeah, we're the sickeningly sweet couple to counteract your angsty Monday blues," Cisco says. "Right, babe?"

"I'm amenable to that," says Snart.

"Damn right, you're a amenable to that," Cisco says, leaning into Snart for a kiss.

"Oh God," Iris groans painfully.

"Hey, you're gonna have to get used to this, Iris," Cisco says, pushing further into Snart's space. "Len ain't going anywhere--well, except sometimes. You know, when he's saving time and all that."

"Right," Iris says. "How's hero life treating you... _Len_?"

"I'm not a hero," Snart says, and it's long-suffering.

"Babe," Cisco says, hanging his head, and Iris can tell they've had this argument before.

"Well, I won't argue with that," Iris says and Snart returns with a genuine smile.

"I like you, West," he says, grinning.

"Jury's still out on you, Snart," Iris replies seriously, but she quirks a small smile.

 

At some point, Iris realizes her life has turned into a romantic comedy. But not straight.  
She spends a night staring at Linda’s lips while Linda explains the rules to softball and Iris knows softball is supposed to be the most sapphic sport out there, but she also knows Linda is straight.

Okay so maybe there is one straight person in this rom-com. But of course if this were a rom-com, Linda wouldn’t be straight and her and Iris would end up walking off into the sunset. And because Iris is a reporter--her job is The Truth--she can’t turn off her rational, factual mind. Doesn’t stop her dreaming though. Doesn’t stop her wanting to chase Linda’s tongue when she flicks it out to wet her lips. God, it’s all she can do not to just kiss Linda.

And it is tempting. To just get one taste and fuck the consequences. So what if Linda kicks her out? So what if all their interactions are awkward for the rest of time? It would be worth it. But in comes Iris’s rational mind again, and she resigns herself to dreaming, wishing, knowing she’ll end up heartbroken.

There are times though; times when Iris thinks Linda is looking at her a certain way. Times when she thinks Linda is looking at her lips. Times when Linda is looking into her eyes, and Iris thinks maybe. Iris’s face is constantly flush around Linda, but it gets worse when Linda smirks or winks at her. Shoots down to her abdomen and shoots sparks up to her heart and she thinks...maybe.  


"I just don't know why I can't tell if someone likes me," Iris says one morning at Jitters. "I mean, I flirt with people and I date them, but... Barry liked me for years and I had no idea."

"Sometimes people just can't tell," Cisco says. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is," Iris says, "I'm practically living with Linda. If I suddenly spring on her that I think I'm in love with her, it'll totally ruin our dynamic."

"And you're sure she doesn't like you?"

"No! I don't know, Cisco," Iris sips sadly on her coffee. "Because I've had feelings for girls in the past, but not like this. And not with someone I'm this close to."

"Oh, so it's a gay crisis," Cisco nods.

"I think, technically, it's a bisexual crisis," Iris says. "But I don't care that I like women, I've always known that..."

"Then what?"

"It's Linda," she sighs. "She's my colleague and my friend and I just don't know what to do. What do I do, Cisco?"

"Hey, I don't know anything about relationships," Cisco says. "I'm dating a supervillain."

"He's not a supervillain anymore."

"Well, saying I'm dating an ex-bad guy does not sound nearly as cool."

"Legend doesn't work for you?"

"Legend could mean anyone," says Cisco, rolling his eyes. "King Arthur... El Chupacabra... Will Smith."

"It'd be pretty cool if you were dating Will Smith."

"Yeah," Cisco sighs. "He never returns my calls."

Iris laughs and then huffs into her coffee.

"I just don't know who else I can talk to about this, Cisco. Barry is..."

"Still in love with you."

"And Linda's his ex," she groans. "God, this so complicated. Why are our lives like this?"

"Your life is like this," Cisco says. "I'm doing fine."

Iris purses her lips, throwing Cisco her best bitchface.

"I'm sorry, but it really is tempting to rub it in your face that I’m in a healthy and loving relationship."

"Right, with a supervillain."

Cisco grins, self-satisfied, and Iris narrowly avoids throwing her coffee in his face.

"I hate you," she says.

"I'm gonna get some sweet lovin' tonight, Iris," Cisco boasts. "And I'm gonna text you all about it."

"Please don't."

"Oh, you're going to get the gritty details."

"I knew your sex with Leonard Snart was gritty," Iris rolls her eyes.

"Oh my God, you thought about me and Len having sex?" Cisco grins. "Oh, he is gonna love this. Let me just..."

He pulls out his phone.

"You're such an asshole," Iris laughs, grabbing Cisco's phone. "I'm in a crisis here."

"Uh, we've got metahumans running rampant around the city; I don't think your love trouble really counts as a crisis."

"Well, sorry for being only human."

Cisco takes back his phone, and narrows his eyes at her.

"You're forgiven," he says. "But you have such mundane problems."

"Do you want me to throw my coffee in your face?"

"Imma call your bluff," Cisco replies, leaning forward. "Yes."

Iris smirks.

"By the way, Linda's stress-baking again," Iris says. "Apartment's full. You bring Leonard by and have at the pastries."

"You know he doesn't like being called that."

"Do I look like I care?" Iris sighs, studiously looking over her nails.

"Oh, and I'm the asshole?"

“Yes,” Iris grins and sips her coffee.

  
When Iris gets home,--well, Linda’s home--Linda is in the kitchen covered in flour. It’s endearing and adorable, and Iris sighs deep, unable to control herself.

“You okay?” Linda asks, rubbing the back of her hand over her flour speckled nose.

“What? Yeah, yeah, I’m good.”

Iris drops her bag on the couch and sits at the island across from Linda, who’s scooping mixture into muffin tins.

“What about you?” Iris asks. “You haven’t baked like this since the, um, Dr. Light fiasco.”

“It’s just this deadline, you know,” Linda replies.

She’s lying. Iris can tell in the forced smile and the way she’s over-focused on getting the muffin tray into the oven.

“What’s really wrong?”

“What?”

“Why won’t you look at me?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Iris,” Linda says, pointedly looking Iris straight in the eyes.

“If you’re worried about something, you can tell me,” Iris says. “We’re friends, Linda. I’m here for you.”

Linda seems to consider this for a moment, putting her hands on her hips and looking down at her bare feet. She huffs a sigh before looking back up and--

“Do you like me?”

Iris’s eyes widen and the breath is knocked out of her.

“Because I’ve really liked you for a while,” Linda continues on. “And I’ve been really freaked about it, I mean I only figured out I was gay like, less than a year ago and I don’t know how gaydar is supposed to work. And I guess I always felt like you kind of liked me, I just never knew how to, y’know, grasp it, I guess? And I’m still so knew to all this and I’m learning all this stuff. Like, apparently there are straight girls who are weirdly interested in Lesbians, and like I think they’re probably bi and some people are just biphobic, I don’t know. But, I mean, I guess I just really don’t know what’s going on with you and it’s totally cool if you are straight, I feel like you probably are and I’m just--”

“I’m bi!” Iris finally finds her voice again, pushing the words out. “I’m bi and I think I love you.”

Linda says nothing.

“All you said was you liked me,” Iris says. “Shit. Let me backtrack. I--”

But Iris can’t finish. Linda’s reached across the island and kissed Iris, her hands firm on either side of her face.

“Yes,” Iris laughs, sighing against Linda’s lips. “Yes.”

“I don’t know anything about love, Iris,” Linda says. “I’m just… _obsessed_ with you.”

“I can’t believe you’ve been stress baking over me,” Iris giggles, pulling Linda around the island and finally holding her close.

“Believe it, baby,” Linda grins.

Linda wets her lips with her tongue before pressing them against Iris’s, soft and hot.

“It would be, um, really awesome if we weren’t wearing clothes,” Linda says, and then bites softly on Iris’s bottom lip.

Iris shivers, chills running down her body as the heat rises up higher and higher.

“Fuck,” Iris breathes, “yes.”

They rush to the bedroom, pulling clothes off and throwing them to the floor, giggling all the way. Once in Linda’s bedroom, Iris pulls Linda flush against her, shirts and bras divested, and the feel of skin on skin is intoxicating.

There’s goosebumps risen on her breasts, pressed softly against Linda’s own, nipples touching every so often, shooting need through her.

She trails a thumb down Linda’s clavicle slowly making her way to Linda’s chest before sliding up over her breast and circling the nipple. Linda’s breath hitches and Iris flips her hair over her shoulder and brings her head down to circle her tongue around Linda’s nipple before sucking it into her mouth. Linda’s fingers clutch at the back of Iris’s neck and she walks backwards towards the bed, leading Iris along with her until, they’re finally over the covers, Iris hovering over Linda and pressing wet kisses down her chest.

Iris hooks her left arm under Linda’s leg, her fingers pushing up the underside of Linda’s thigh until she’s slipping her hand into Linda’s underwear, splaying her fingers over her ass.

Linda gasps, muttering an, “oh my God.”

Iris laughs, pressing a kiss over Linda’s belly button.

“You good?”

“Yeah,” Linda says. “Yeah, I’m awesome.”

  
It’s a blur after that. A hot, wet blur and Iris can’t believe this is where her day has went. An hour ago she thought Linda was straight and not at all into her and now she’s panting in bed naked next to Linda who is, in fact, a Lesbian and _very much_ into Iris.

“We should do that again later,” Linda says. “I’m really interested in eating you out.”

“That is something I’m really interested in too,” Iris says, beaming, and leans over to kiss suck mercilessly on Linda’s lower lip.

Linda suddenly pulls away, a look of horror on her face.

“Shit!” She jumps up, rushing out of the bedroom.

“What?” Iris gasps, running after her. “What’s going on.”

“The muffins are burning!” Linda exclaims, turning off the oven, she grabs oven mitts and pulls the muffin tray out.

Iris leans on the island, smiling, a little unbelieving at Linda, who is still buck-ass naked, with a tin of burnt muffins in her hands.

“What?” Linda asks. “What’s that look?”

“Nothing, this is just…” Iris shrugs, laughing. “I don’t know. Great. This is great. I’m really happy to be naked in the kitchen with you.”

Linda smiles, dazzling as ever, setting the muffin tin down.

“Me too,” she says. “Me too.”

There’s a sharp knock at the door and they both yelp.

“Shit!” Iris says. “I told Cisco to bring his boyfriend over to have some of your baking.”

“Well, I guess we should dressed then.”

“No, hold on,” Iris says and goes over to the door. “Cisco?”

“Yeah,” Cisco says from the other side of the door. “Can we come in?”

“Um, we’re preoccupied at the moment,” Iris says, trying not to giggle.

“Preoccupied?” she hears Len say.

Linda comes up beside her and says, “yeah, there are muffins involved!”

There’s silence for a moment before Cisco begins laughing.

“Okay, lovebirds,” he says. “We’ll come back later.”

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me on the twitter @autisticmelody ✌️


End file.
